

1898.] UNIVERSITY MATTERS 225 



are trying to get an Agricultural Lectureship established in 

 the University of Oxford ? It came about this way. It 

 appears that the funds for support of the Sibthorpian Pro- 

 fessorship of Rural Economy had fallen so low, that it was 

 feared it would have to be given up. But the Clothworkers' 

 Company came forward with the offer of ^200 a year for 

 five years on condition of Agriculture being made one of 

 the subjects to be taken for degrees. I offered ;ioo on the 

 same terms, and then it was offered by one or two people 

 jointly, on the same terms, to clear off a debt which seemed 

 growing like a snowball. The matter is now under con- 

 sideration by the University authorities. They would gladly 

 accept the money, I believe, for an Agricultural Lecture- 

 ship on which attendance was voluntary, but the difficulty 

 is accepting the matter as essential for a degree. 



Instruction in agriculture (that is, chemistry, forestry, 

 entomology, &c.) would do a great deal of good at such a 

 centre of our "coming on" great landholders as Oxford, 

 but the students will not attend the lectures unless the 

 matter is compulsory. Prof. Warington is the Sibthorpian 

 lecturer a friend and neighbour (at least, he and his wife 

 live very near by railway) so we can talk over progress. 

 He has his hands, I think, very full. In case after due con- 

 sideration Oxford does not think it desirable to establish the 

 Chair, I fancy it is very likely our offer may be then trans- 

 ferred to Cambridge ; but this is at present uncertain. 



[These efforts in the higher interests of science as applied 

 to agriculture having failed, Miss Ormerod, in her Last Will 

 and Testament, bequeathed, out of her ample means, a sum 

 of ^5,000 to the University Court of the University of Edin- 

 burgh, " upon trust for the benefit of that University."] 



December 6, 1897. 



I thank you very much for your two Entomological 

 Reports lately received. I want to read your observations 

 on " Hair-worms " carefully as soon as I can get time, for 

 these creatures come, I think, as regularly as the summer. 



You will perhaps have seen the turmoil that the Sparrow- 

 lovers raised, and the floods of abuse they bestowed upon 

 me. But it advertised ' the leaflet beautifully, and I could 

 hardly print at first quickly enough to keep up to the 

 demand. Our Royal Horticultural Society has asked leave 

 to reprint the Sparrow leaflet in their Journal, which 

 gratifies me much. 



January 21, 1898. 



I think you will be pleased to know that I am in 



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